If the 2016 presidential elections were held today, according to a poll released Thursday, Hillary Clinton would be a runaway favorite for president of the United States. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

A Quinnipiac University poll released on Thursday finds that Hillary Clinton would soundly beat any of the top three Republican 2016 contenders.

According to a press release, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was second in a field of three Democrats and three Republicans selected by Quinnipiac University for the national poll.

The poll indicated that Vice President Joseph Biden and New York's Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo would not fare nearly as well. Biden would lose to Christie, struggle against Ryan and defeat Rubio.

The Republicans included in the poll were Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

New Jersey governor Chris Christie would attract more votes than two fellow Republicans â U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida â and he would defeat Vice President Joe Biden and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on the Democratic side for president in 2016, according to a poll released on Thursday. (AP Photo/Christopher Barth)

"Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would start a 2016 presidential campaign with enormous advantages," Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said in the release. "She obviously is by far the best known and her more than 20 years in the public spotlight allows her to create a very favorable impression on the American people. But it is worth noting that she had very good poll numbers in 2006 looking toward the 2008 election, before she faced a relative unknown in Barack Obama."

"Although some Republicans don't think New Jersey Gov. Christopher Christie is conservative enough for their taste, he runs best of the three Republicans tested and would defeat two of the top Democrats," Brown said. "He obviously is doing better than the Democrats' rising star, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, despite other indications of anti-Republican sentiment."

Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,944 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.2 percentage points from Feb. 27 to March 4.

To see more results from the poll, including 88 percent support for universal gun background checks,click here.